Chapter 25 Truce
"Oh, Bless! Glad you came!" Hannah almost shrieked when she saw her coming toward her.
It's Hannah's birthday party and she promised her to attend the event beyond her buy schedule. It was held in a beach resort who owned by her boyfriend's family. The resort was high-class and extravagant. It offers a wide range of services and amenities, has great recreational facilities, courts, and areas for various sports, and other activities. To think it was owned by Hannah's boyfriend, she must be rich, she concludes.
"Happy birthday!" She greeted her best friend then hugged her.
"I thought you won't come on my birthday. I'll be sulking on you if you missed it."
"I won't miss it. You know I love so much..." She replied true to her words.
"Awww you're so sweet. Come, I'll introduce you to David and his friends." Hannah then pull her hand and dragged her towards the group of males not away from them.
Her friend excitedly introduced her to her boyfriend David and then his friends and colleagues. Just like Hannah told her, David is a good-looking guy and it seems nice and fun to be with. She could see in the glint of his eyes that he loved Hannah by the way he looked at her. Hannah had been told her a lot of things about her relationship with the guy and she could see he was making her friend really happy. She was glad Hannah seems to find the right man for her this time.
"Ummm, Bea... There's something you should know..." Hannah suddenly drew her a bit away from the group and talked to her secretly. Her face seemed a bit curious and worried as if there's a problem she was about to tell her.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Please don't get mad at me, okay? I swear I didn't know he'll come. You see I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and---"
"What is it, Hannah?" She cut her off feeling impatient.
"Thyago's here. Sorry, I forgot to tell you he's David's cousin. Well, I never intend to tell you before because I know you'll get upset just by hearing his name so I decided not to tell you yet. And now I didn't know he'll be coming over to my party. David told me he's out of the country for business. I'm so sorry Bea, please don't get mad at me...." Hannah explained feeling so uneasy.
She roamed her eyes to look for the specific man Hannah have been talking about until she spotted him talking with a man somewhat his age. Their eyes met and their gazes locked. He smiled sheepishly and that's the time she jerked her eyes away from him.
"It's okay, I'm not mad at you." She replied.
"Really? I was actually worried you might leave the party if you found out that Thyago is around. I know how much you hate him and how you dislike being in a place around him. You can just disregard him and act like he doesn't exist."
"No, it's okay. I'm fine." She replied. That's when she saw Hannah's eyes widen in surprise and got stunned as if she don't wanna believe what she said.
"But wait-- the last time we talked, you seemed uncomfortable talking about him still and now you don't mind facing him? That was something new, uh?" Hannah went silent for a moment as she stare at her wondering.
"Well, glad you finally decided to face him. What happened?" Hannah interrogated.
"Actually, we met already. His company is my firm's biggest client." Hannah's eyes widen in surprise gain. She then gave her a queering look as if it's a bomb that exploded in her face. Her friend might never think she will agree in doing business with him.
"Really..."
"We're both professionals, besides it's nothing but pure business. It's okay I wouldn't mind seeing him here." She reasoned out.
"That's my girl!" Hannah cheerfully replied that made her smile.
When Hannah spotted a newcomer which she recognized as her relative, she excused herself and left her a she then went near the bar counter and get herself a drink. She asked for a cocktail drink from the bartender and when she was on the brink of sipping her drink, she heard someone talked beside her that caught her attention.
"Hi! Nice to see you here..." Not being surprised that Thyago will soon come near her, she took a side and smile drank her drinks before she decided to look on his way.
"Nice to see you too Mr. Williams." She answered flashing him her fake smile. She really made it obvious to show him that his presence wasn't welcome.
"Drop the formalities Bea, where not in a business here." He seriously uttered as if he got offended. He pulled out a frustrated sigh then drank his drink in just one gulp and turned to her.
"Look, I know we started a wrong footing way back then, but you see we're living in the same circles when it comes to business and also with friends. Don't you think it's time for us to forget that past and start a new one? Why don't we let's be friends again?" He stared deep right through her eyes. Why does she see sadness and plea in those pair of penetrating blue pools of him?
"I'm fine with us being formal and professionals when it comes to business Mr. Williams but offering friendship? I don't think that is a good idea knowing the past we had?" She irritatingly replied in a low and still calm voice.
She wanted to leave him right at the moment. What is this all about? He wants to be friends with her again? Isn't he the one who told her to stay away from his life right years ago?
"You know what? I never expected you will come over me asking for friendship when you used to hate me before?" She started with a tinge of sarcasm.
"Look, I'm not trying to bring up the past here. I am asking for a chance instead. I know I can never revive and change the past, but I can make things right. We can make things right. Please, Bea, give me a chance to show you the real me, the new me." He then took another drink and just like the previous, he drank it in one gulp. He was getting courage through the spirit of alcohol she noticed. Why is she not convinced that he was playing guilty and regretful? What made him changed his opinion about her?
"I know I'm a jerk and a real fool for making the biggest mistake in my life. Believe me, I regret those times. P-Please can we forget that past and start a new one?" He stuttered and paused for a moment then took another shot of drinks in one gulp again.
What's with this guy and his explanations! What the heck is that biggest mistake he was talking about? And why he's drowning himself in alcohol acting like a guilty boyfriend trying to get back to her hurt girlfriend?
"Thyago are you drunk?"
"I can't bear us avoiding each other and being formal like we haven't known each other before. I can't bear you looking at me with those eyes full of hate and disappointments. Let's stop this over, Bea. Give me a chance to show that I'm no longer the old Thyago you used to know. To show you that I've changed. Can we start over and stop being me please..." He pleaded.
She doesn't understand but that hit her, big time. She could feel his sadness and pain through the tone of his voice and teary blue pools of him. She has these hesitations and doubts because to trust this man is the thing she's having difficulty with. How can you trust a person who hurt you deeply? How can you act you're fine in front of him knowing you're still hurting by his presence? A chance? For what? A part of her wanted to believe he was true to his words but you cannot blame her to have doubts. This man hated her eight years ago because he thinks she betrayed him? A chance to start a new, to forget the past, and begin a friendship? And if that meant not jeopardizing her feelings and a truce for the both of them, why depriving him of that? Life's too short so break silly rules. If starting a new beginning and setting aside the past will make them both happy, why deprive it to both of them?
"Okay... I'm sick and tired of these arguments and gaps that we had. You're right, let's make a fresh new start. So, friends?" She finally concluded then offered him her hand. He stared at her meaningfully as he accepted and gently held her hand. She could see the gratitude written in his eyes towards the impact of what she said and that gave her a warm feeling.
His eyes are smiling, did I make him happy? Oh, I hate myself for being glad that I made him happy...
"Friends..." He replied sincerely.
"This time no more evasions and formalities, okay?" He commented.
She nodded as an answer then smile back. A genuine smile that hit Thyago straight through the heart.
"I'll believe you if we will seal that into a dance." Thyago stand up then offered her hand.
"Shall we?" He asked.
Hesitation suddenly filled her when she realized its romantic music was being played.
"Sure.." Too late to take back her decision and silly of her to bring herself into this kind of situation. She could've just said no and make some excuses, she thought.
Having no choice, she accepted his hand as he take her to the dance floor. Deep inside her, she was nervous and at the same time hating herself because a part of her seemed revel with gladness and excitement. She castigated herself she shouldn't be feeling this way but she just couldn't help to smile.
At the dance floor, he gently held her waist as her arms were on his shoulders as they sway to the rhythm of the music. She felt tensed and uneasy because of the warm feeling brought by his hands on her waist. She could feel his gaze right through her and unfortunately, she just don't have the guts to stare back at him, afraid he might read something in her eyes he shouldn't have to know.
"Glad I attended this party. If not I wouldn't have a chance to patch things between us. I'm so glad I did Bea..." She heard him said but it was more like a whisper.
She went silent and took for granted what he said. He must be really sincere in reconciliation with her she thought. He said he changed in a better way, we'll see about that...
"How long have you been communicating with Hannah? I remember asking her where to find you years ago but she said she had lost contact with you. It's a good thing you both reunited again." Thyago stated all of a sudden.
She remembered Hannah telling her that Thyago has been asking for her way back then but she forbid her not to tell him anything about her and tell him they've lost contacts.
"Perhaps your communications never broke?" He asked suspiciously when she didn't answer him back.
"Tell me honestly Bea, is Hannah lied when she'd told me she's lost contact with you?" He seriously asked.
She was taken aback and she didn't know why she nodded as an answer. If he'll ask her why Hannah did that, she didn't know if she could answer him. This was supposed to be a truce, why it looks like they're going back to square one again?
"I told her to do so," she replied in a low tone.
She heard him pulled out a deep sigh as he kept staring at her face. Whatever feelings radiated on his face, she doesn't wanna know it anymore. All she just wanted is to escape this confrontation portion. There isn't have to be! They had a truce, right?
"That little witch of a friend of yours. If she isn't David's girl, I'll swear I could have wrung her neck for playing games out of me." He disgustingly uttered.
She couldn't help to smile as she stare up through his face. Staring deep right through those penetrating dark blue eyes, she wanted to ask her why? Why did he ask about her to Hannah way back then? Why he seemed mad at Hannah for the lies? Is it a big deal to him? Did he intend to look for her and apologize? Those are the questions he wanted to put into words but then she knew she don't have the guts to ask them.
She felt his hold on her waist tighten while they dance. Damn those tinges of electric-like feeling brought by his touch that makes her more uneasy, is it even possible to feel that way by just only his touch? She remembered he have the same feelings way back in her teenage days but she thought that was all in her mind but now? How can she explain all of this?
"Will you relax, Bea? Come on, it's just me. I don't want you feeling uneasy when you are with me, you know...." And by those words, she smiled genuinely and suddenly found herself relaxing at his company. They remain that way for quite some time until the song ended.
He gently guided her back near the bar counter at their previous place. He get her a drink and they toasted many times over the course of the evening. She found him good company and enjoyed having conversations with him. Although she sometimes noticed Hannah giving her such questioning glances maybe because she couldn't believe what she was seeing between them. She knew Hannah wanted to talk to her but she didn't have a chance to for she was busy with her own party. She can imagine Hannah interrogating her for this truce tomorrow. She'll explain herself some other time. She realized accepting the truce with Thyago and setting aside the past was quite good in the feeling anyway. It's like something heavy in her chest was removed or taken away.